Bill Burr slams Billy Corgan for revealing they may be half-brothers: 'Why did you feel the need to do that?'

Whether or not Bill Burr and Billy Corgan actually share a father, they do have at least one thing in common: a vendetta against Howie Mandel.

The Howie Does Stuff host staged an (alleged) family reunion between the two Bills on the latest episode of his podcast — but much to their chagrin, he did so without telling the whole truth. Burr in particular was caught off guard when his visit to the pod was crashed by a "surprise" special guest: the Smashing Pumpkins guitarist who went viral a few months ago for theorizing that he and Burr may be half brothers.

"You're an a--hole," Burr immediately told Mandel, while shaking Corgan's hand. This response was a surprise to Corgan, who insisted, "He told me you were cool with me coming."

"That's what he does," Burr replied. When Corgan offered to leave, Burr sat back in his seat saying, "All right, f--- it, I'll do it."

The comedian then directed his apparent irritation at Corgan. "Did you ever think the fact that I never told that story [meant] that maybe you shouldn't?"

The story in question came up during Corgan's November conversation with Mandel, when he revealed that 10 years prior, his stepmother told him that Burr "might be one of the children that your father sired in his days being a traveling musician." Corgan himself recalled his father saying that he had a half-brother named Bill, who was born around the same time as him (Corgan is 57 and Burr 56). The musician insisted at the time that he was being serious, though he later expressed doubts about actually being related to Burr.

While reflecting on the theory with Mandel and Corgan, however, Burr hinted that there may be some truth to the story.

"He was a piece of s---," he said of his father. "He had two kids this close together, and he gave them the same f---ing name? He thinks it's different because he's Billy and I'm Bill. That's how he told the difference."

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Burr then clarified that while he has nothing against Corgan, the speculation brings up negative memories. In an effort to lighten the mood, Corgan reaffirmed his own doubts, gesturing to Burr and joking, "The fact that he said he can’t sing, I think, disproves that we’re related, 'cause I’m not funny, so...it goes both ways."

Burr again expressed frustration with Corgan for sharing the story in the first place, asking, "Why did you feel the need to do that?" The musician defended himself by pointing to Mandel, explaining that he insisted Corgan share the story on air after being told privately.

Burr then tore into Mandel for setting up the encounter for the sake of "ratings," quipping, "What was supposed to happen? Are we going to go play catch? We're both in our 50s." 

Corgan jumped in, telling Mandel, "This is some Dr. Phil s--- you got going on."

Burr observed that he and Corgan were making a connection after all. “I think we’re kind of on the same page in thinking you’re kind of a d--- right now," he told Mandel.

At one point, Mandel stepped out of the room to let the two converse alone, while emotional piano music swelled in the background. Burr and Corgan took a few moments to discuss their "relationship with dad," comparing the different details they knew of his life.

"It's funny though? If we were born during the internet… I don't think you can get away with that anymore. Like at some point, it did become funny to me that he did have multiple families. There was something wild about that," Burr commented, then laughed, noting, "I'm kind of forgetting that we're on a  podcast."

"At least we broke the cycle," Burr continued, then proceeded to mock the still-absent Mandel, poking fun at his America's Got Talent gig.  "At least we're not on some awful network show judging plate spinners, or whatever the fuck Howie's career has become," he quipped.

By the end of their conversation, Burr said he was convinced: "We have the same father."

Representatives for Burr and Corgan did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly's request for comment.

Watch the awkward interaction between Burr and Corgan below.